In a world where time was not measured by clocks or celestial bodies but by the pulse of energy beneath my skin, I couldn’t be sure how much time had passed. Was it hours? Days? Or had I truly become one with the endless flow of this new realm, carried along by its current, its rhythms, its ebb and flow?
I could feel it.
The Qi.
The Essence of Qi
In Midgard, we had our own version of energy—the strange currents of mana that some could tap into. But here, it was different.
The Qi here was not the same. It was thicker—almost tangible, like thick water that flowed around my skin, swirling and twisting in the air as though it were alive.
It pulsed through everything.
Through the trees.
Through the stones.
Through me.
And it whispered its secrets.
The more I read from the ancient books, the more I learned. The Qi was the very heartbeat of this world. Every plant, every stone, every creature, and even the air itself seemed to hum with it.
It was like... a language.
I could feel its patterns.
Its flow.
Its rhythms.
The ancient texts spoke of 19 cultivation stages, each one a step closer to ascendancy, to mastery over the Qi. To become one with the very spirit of this realm.
The more I read, the more I understood.
But there was a limit to what knowledge could provide.
And in the end, what truly mattered was how you used it.
The First Step
It wasn’t long before I began to form a plan—a technique. My mind, sharp as ever despite the strangeness of this world, began to merge the teachings of Midgard with the knowledge I was uncovering in this new realm.
I had no guides. No mentors.
Just the books.
But as I studied, the ancient texts started to make sense. They spoke of Qi channels and energy gates, of energy cultivation and spirit realms, of rising above mortal limitations.
I used what I remembered from my homeland, combining the techniques I had once practiced with what these new books taught me.
The more I meditated, the more I felt the Qi pulse through my body.
It was like breathing—every inhale was a surge of energy, and every exhale released something deep within me.
I could feel my body transforming. The air around me seemed to bend as my Qi channels began to open, like rivers breaking free from long-forgotten dams.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
The First Breakthrough
I sat cross-legged on the cave floor, deep in meditation.
The Qi swirled around me.
I reached for it. I pulled it inside.
I could feel the weight of it, the warmth spreading through my limbs like molten metal.
I had to focus.
I couldn’t afford distractions. Not here, not in this unfamiliar realm.
Focus…
I drew on the energy within me, on the power of my memories—of Midgard. The skills, the techniques I had learned in the old world. The old battle techniques. The warrior’s discipline.
I pushed, forcing the Qi into the first gate—my dantian, the core of my body.
The energy flowed.
It twisted.
I could feel my heart pounding, as though it were trying to sync with the Qi, as though the very pulse of this world was trying to make me one with it.
I gritted my teeth, enduring the pain.
The world blurred.
And then—
There was a crack.
A sudden rush of warmth spread through me like a fire igniting in my chest.
Cultivation and Progress
I opened my eyes, sweat dripping down my face. My body felt heavier, but in a way that felt... right. It was the kind of heaviness that came when something powerful was taking root inside you.
I could feel it now—the Qi, pulsing inside my veins, radiating warmth.
It had taken me three days—three days of relentless training—but I had broken through.
The first stage.
But it wasn’t enough. Not by a long shot.
This world was dangerous, unpredictable. My body was stronger now, yes. But I wasn’t strong enough. Not yet.
I knew I had to keep going. I had to keep pushing.
And the books—they were more than just texts. They were keys, unlocking pathways to deeper realms of power, revealing the paths toward higher stages of cultivation.
The first stage was only the beginning. A tiny step in the long journey that awaited me in this unfamiliar land.
The Jungle of Vermillion Star
I stood, wiping the sweat from my brow.
I needed to move. I needed to learn.
I stepped outside the cave, my legs shaky but resolute. The forest, the jungle, was vast. But there was something about it that called to me—something in the air that told me the world would not wait for me to figure things out.
I had to survive.
I had to learn.
And most of all, I had to grow stronger.
The Qi flowed through me as I moved, the air whispering in my ears, urging me onward.
I could feel it—the danger.
In the distance, I heard a rustling sound. The trees whispered in the wind. But there was something else.
Something alive.
I turned my head.
The Beast in the Shadows
In the distance, something moved.
Something big.
A shadow crossed the path ahead, and the air seemed to shudder.
A low, guttural growl echoed through the trees, a sound that sent a chill down my spine.
I wasn’t alone.
The creatures of this realm had no concept of fear or kindness. They existed only to survive, to kill, to devour.
And I was the stranger.
I could feel the Qi building inside me again, a surge of energy ready to explode from my core. But I knew this wasn’t a fight I was prepared for. Not yet.
I was only in the first stage of cultivation.
The creature was getting closer, its steps shaking the ground beneath me.
My eyes darted to the jungle around me.
Then, I heard it again.
A growl—louder this time.
And then a rush.
The beast emerged from the shadows.
A massive creature, towering over me, its body covered in spiny scales, its eyes burning with an inner fire.
It was a tiger, but like no tiger I had ever seen. It was larger than any beast from Midgard, its claws like daggers, and its breath came in ragged, furious gasps.
Fight or Flee?
I could feel it—the Qi—the energy within me, rising to meet the challenge. But I was too weak. Too unrefined.
I wasn’t ready.
I took a step back.
The tiger snarled, its fangs bared. It lunged, its claws outstretched, aiming for my chest.
I could feel the Qi.
I could feel it pulsing within me.
But it wasn’t enough.
Not enough to fight this beast.
I had only one choice.
Flee...
The Escape
I turned and ran.
The tiger roared behind me, its powerful strides closing in.
I ran, my heart pounding, my breath ragged. The Qi flowed through me, urging me forward, urging me to run faster, but the beast was relentless.
I dashed through the trees, my legs burning, my mind screaming at me to move faster.
I could feel it—the weight of the creature’s presence behind me, the heat of its breath on my neck.
I had to get away.
I couldn’t fight it yet.
I couldn’t die here.
??? Epilogue: The Price of Survival
I stumbled into a small hollow in the earth, panting, my body trembling with exhaustion.
The beast was still out there, somewhere, but it hadn’t caught me yet.
I was safe—for now.
But I knew.
I knew the truth.
To survive here, I would need to grow stronger. Much stronger.
I would need to master the Qi.
I would need to ascend.
“In Midgard, I was a stranger to my own kind.”
“But here, on the Vermillion Bird Star, I will be something more.”
“This is my journey. And I will not die in the shadows of this world.”
[TO BE CONTINUED...]